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The north-west of Murcia around the historic towns of Caravaca de la Cruz, Moratalla, Cehigin and Calasparra is unusually green and fertile with many pine forests and almond groves. Of prime importance both to the economy and the vegetation of the area is the Rio Segura, where high quality rice is cultivated along its banks at Calasparra. Here you also find a very important place of pilgrimage, the Sanctuary of the Virgin, set deep in a spectacular gorge of the river. This part of the province is opening up for the kind of overseas property purchaser who wants something completely different. There are some high quality new developments as well as resale property to be purchased throughout the region.

Following the Rio Segura on its journey towards Murcia we arrive at Archena, famous for its Thermal Baths where the water comes from the ground at 50 degrees centigrade. Another nearby Thermal Spa at Fortuna has hotels and treatments centres; many Spaniards from all over the country return year after year to take the waters. Not far from Fortuna are the towns of Jumilla and Yecla, both famous for their excellent wines, and here also new property developments are taking place with the overseas buyer in mind.

The compact city of Murcia is both a modern and dynamic place with an excellent range of high quality shops and an historic and cultural centre. The cathedral in the central square was built between the 13th and 18th century and includes Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque styles.

The Costa Calida begins around the San Pedro del Pinatar area, just above the most northern tip of the Mar Menor, and finishes where the Costa Almeria starts at Aguilas. The temperatures on the Costa Calida, or Warm Coast, rarely go below 17 degrees centigrade even in the winter. Close to San Pedro you find the old saltpans of Lo Pagan which now form a nature reserve for birds and wildlife.

At 30 km in length the Mar Menor, or Small Sea, is the largest salt water lagoon in Europe. The resorts around it are usually fairly quiet, until August, when many of Spain’s city dwellers arrive for their annual holiday. A great attraction, especially for the elderly has always been the therapeutic waters, the water temperature in the lagoon can be up to 9 degrees above that of the Mediterranean. Its high mineral concentrations have drawn health conscious tourists since the early 20th century when they came to the older resorts of Santiago de la Ribera and Los Alcazares, where charming old hotels with mineral baths and the old bathing stations can still be found.

There is very little high rise building around the Mar Menor with the exception of the sandy strip known as La Manga, which keeps the Mediterranean separate from the lagoon. La Manga has an abundance of apartments and all the facilities, restaurants, bars, shops and water sports which the popular holiday destination has to offer. Just a little way down at the southern end of La Manga is the pretty port of Cabo de Palos which holds a popular Sunday market.

The prestigious La Manga Club is very close by, offering a five star hotel, championship golf courses and extensive world-class sports facilities. The area already has a number of excellent golf courses, including one at Torre Pacheco with floodlighting so you can play at night when the air is cooler, and there are several new ones in progress. The Calida is set to rival the Costa del Sol as one of the most important golfing areas in southern Spain hence it is becoming very popular with investors. Here we can offer clients property on all the new golf developments, including the Polaris World sites.

Further around the coast is the city of Cartagena an important port and naval base. Cartagena is rich in ancient history and has the ruins of an impressive Roman theatre. Along the coast from Cartagena is Puerto Mazarron, a peaceful and pretty fishing town with fine beaches and many coves and short way inland is the Mazarron Golf and Country Club. The last and final resort on the Calida is Aguilas, a small town which retains much of its original charm and is famous for its carnival, one of the largest and most spectacular shows in the country.

A great advantage to the area is the location of the Murcia, San Javier airport, with a new airport scheduled to be built in just a few years closer to the city of Murcia. The local road connections are also excellent with new motorways connecting Alicante to Cartagena and San Javier to Murcia.

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